1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera using silver halide film or an electronic camera, and more specifically, to a camera that allows the user to make photographing operation by either hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, the prevalent cameras are so designed that the camera body is held by the right hand, and the main operating switches including a release button are operated also by the right hand. There are also provided left-handed cameras that can be operated only by the left hand. Each type of camera is designed so as to be operated by corresponding one of the right and left hands.
However, the operability of these conventional cameras is not good when the right-handed camera is held by the left hand or when the left-handed camera is held by the right hand, and thus they are inconvenient for single hand use. In the case of the right-handed camera, for example, when the right-handed person who is shooting video with a video camera held by his/her right hand wants to take a picture by a still camera, he/she has to operate the still camera only by his/her left hand, and it is not easy to operate the still camera. For the left-handed person or the person who cannot use his/her right hand freely, the right-handed camera is inconvenient to operate.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a one-handed camera that can easily be operated by either hand without probability of wrong operation.
The camera according to the present invention comprises a grip portion for left-handed users and a grip portion for right-handed users provided on the left side and right side respectively, an operating member for right-handed users to be operated while the grip portion for right-handed users is being gripped, an operating member for left-handed users to be operated while the grip portion for left-handed users is being gripped, and a switching mechanism for selectively enabling the operating member for right-handed users and the operating member for left-handed users.
The switching mechanism may include a switching operation member that is operated in the opposing first and second directions. When the switching operation member is operated in the first direction, the operating member for right-handed users is enabled, and when the switching operation member is operated in the second direction, the operating member for left-handed users is enabled. It is preferred that the first direction is the direction toward the operating member for right-handed users and the second direction is the direction toward the operating member for left-handed users.
Prohibiting means may be provided for prohibiting the operation of one of the operating members for right-handed users and for left-handed users, which is not selected, in conjunction with the switching operation of the switching operation member. As prohibiting means, a blocking member may be employed that mechanically prevents or resists the operation of the operating member. In this case, the blocking member disables the operating member for left-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the first direction, and disables the operating member for right-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the second direction.
If a ring member mounted so as to rotate about the lens-barrel is employed as a switching operation member, the blocking member may be provided integrally with the ring member. The blocking member may be adapted to cover the operating member for left-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the first direction, and to cover the operating member for right-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the second direction.
The prohibiting means may be adapted to electrically disable either of the operating members. In this case, the prohibiting means may include a power switch that is interlocked with the switching operation member. If the operating member for right-handed users is operated under the situation where the switching operation member has been operated in the first direction, the power switch takes the first state to output the electrical signals corresponding to the operation of the operating member for right-handed users, and prohibits the output of any electrical signal corresponding to the operation of the operating member for left-handed users. On the contrary, if the operating member for left-handed users is operated under the situation where the switching operation member has been operated in the second direction, the power switch takes the second state to output the electrical signals corresponding to the operation of the operating member for left-handed users and prohibit the output of any electrical signal corresponding to the operation of the operating member for right-handed users. In this case as well, it is preferable that the first direction is the direction toward the operating member for right-handed users and the second direction is the direction toward the operating member for left-handed users.
A flash unit may be provided on the switching operation member. The flash unit is moved toward the operating member for left-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the first direction, and is moved toward the operating member for right-handed users when the switching operation member is operated in the second direction.
If a view finder is mounted between the operating members for right-handed users and for left-handed users, the same operating feeling can be obtained both for the operations by the left hand and by the right hand. By arranging the heavy parts such as battery, capacitor, motor, and the like at the center in the camera body, the weight balance when the camera is held is improved both in the right hand and left hand operations.